A clothier par excellence, movie producer and a mother of four, Mrs Joy Chico-Ejiro, the wife of an ace Nollywood producer, Chico Ejiro, in this interview with KEHINDE OLULEYE, speaks on love life, family and style.

Growing up was very interesting and exciting to say the least. I come from the now almost extinct middle class family of 10, six boys and three girls back in the ancient city of Benin, Edo State, under the great supervision of disciplinarians but very caring parents who ensured that we didn’t lack; by this I mean financially. I had good education by the way; I went to the University of Benin Demonstration Secondary School (UDSS), Benin City, one of the best secondary schools in Nigeria at that time. Mom taught us good Christian and moral values and ensured that we fostered unity amongst ourselves, a bond which still exists today.

On how they met

“I met my husband in the University of Lagos (UNILAG) at Opa William’s ‘2 can play’, a TV show. I was a guest in the show and he was the director. He came to the campus to give a friend a surprise visit. He offered me a ride and we became friends.

What attracted him to me was his boldness in approaching me because most guys were intimidated by my size and person then, but he was very tenacious in his ‘toasting’; he showed me from his action that he didn’t want a babe but someone he could spend the rest of his life with. He was kind, selfless, very liberal. I thank God I accepted or ‘jelled’, as we would say then, because he is the best husband in the world and I would marry him again and again.

It was my 23rd birthday and he bought me a present. It was wrapped in a big box. I opened it and found another wrapped box within another and another before the box of engagement ring. That was so nice and romantic.

How does she handle his celebrity status and female fans?

I and my husband are very close; he’s my best friend, we talk about everything. He is very humble and down to earth despite his celebrity status. He doesn’t even see himself as a celebrity but rather prefers to be in the background operating as a people’s man acting without any airs. As for his female fans, he appreciates them as much as possible but knows where to draw the line.

I used to face difficulties initially when I had to be on a movie set with my husband but with time, we have been able to balance it in such a way that at least, one of us is always around. Save for my last son who is six, the others with help from the domestic staff can manage on their own. Also my job as a clothier and asoebi supplier takes me out of the country a lot but when I’m around, I try as much as possible to create time to make up for the period I’ve been away. I cook their favourite meals most weekends; I love cooking. I can cook four different dishes in a day. We go to the beach, cinemas and sometimes we eat out as part of family bonding. I also unwind with my friends attending events and parties.

We are very close and being married to ‘baby boy’, as I fondly call him, has been a worthwhile experience. Though there have been ups and downs as it is in every marriage, the unity and bond we share has gone a long way in helping to handle them. We also try as much as possible to avoid the spotlight. We keep our personal lives from the public glare as much as possible.

His style has always been keeping it as simple as possible. He tends to go for what suits him and he is not a sucker for designer labels and names. Due to the nature of our jobs, we relax most times by spending time together indoors watching films, series. Occasionally, we go to the movies and have dinner dates.

Her advice to women that are married to celebrities is to first and foremost commit their marriage to God. They should trust and understand their husbands, they must be best friends; communication and understanding are key. They should understand that their husband is out there dealing with a lot of people. They should be very prayerful; they should also try to settle their issues privately and do all they can to ensure that they are settled peacefully at home.

According to Joy, her husband is an avid sports lover; football is his favourite. He is a diehard Arsenal fan. He is a gunner in and out.

Due to the nature of his job, he spends most of his spare time at home with the family. He loves watching movies; when it’s football season he’s glued to the TV. Sometimes, he hangs out with his friends watching football. He loves cooking too; most Saturdays, I have breakfast in bed made by him.